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A day will come when all I listen to is bluegrass

Tom Ravenscroft's music blog.

I may have messed up the Glastonbury Festival, not in the sense of dropping litter -- someone else did that -- but in failing to see many acts that left me feeling all that excited, fortunate or terribly bothered.

Don't get me wrong, I had loads of fun but little of it as a result of the music. There seemed to be too much emphasis on nostalgia. This must have been my mistake -- there were acts there I liked and people I know kept reporting back that they had seen amazing things. Had they though, really?

I genuinely can't work out if this is my fault. I obviously didn't see the vast majority of bands but I did get out and about. I can remember enjoying the Horrors and bits of Warpaint and watching the sunset with my friends. Listening to Pulp was a joy, even without Kate Moss. I may never discover what happened that weekend. It is, frankly, a mystery but I can remember, when I got back to my car and was sat there struggling to get my wellies off, my stereo came on with some unidentifiable metal. It sounded awesome. Perhaps I just needed something with a bit more noise.

On arriving home, among piles of emails offering to sell me houses I can't afford were the words "Glenn Jones". Glenn has a new album out soon on Thrill Jockey records called The Wanting and you should start getting excited about now. His split release with the Black Twig Pickers was the highlight of record stores and his new album further proof that there will come a day when forever more all I listen to is bluegrass.

Here's Glenn (on the left), with the late Jack Rose, in 2009:

 

Tom Ravenscroft's radio show is on BBC 6 Music every Friday at 9pm

12 comments

Nellson_Shmellson's picture

Thinkov, I love gillian welch too but I'm not sure about her latest, it feels gloomy. That worries me, what is wrong with my ears? Feedback from going to my first bluegrass roots festival: British people should not be singing self penned songs about living in tennessee in rural poverty. So my task this year is to make an old timey roots bluegrass album about living in london.

p.s if you live up north, there's quite a few fests going on in Scotland and northern ireland. ta raa

thinkov's picture

Sory to hear that after 8 years it's gloomy -hope I like it

so i'm heading to scotland and buying up Tom Russell albums

cheers Nellson

Nellson_Shmellson's picture

There are a plenty of bluegrass festivals going on in europe, including a load in the UK thinkov. Risor, Norway is coming up, I can't sit still.

All I listen to IS bluegrass and old time. Then the song 'I love mother' invariably comes onto my mp3 player and I sometimes wonder why I love it...sigh. Go to Maverick festival near Ipswich this weekend, bluegrass gospel folk americana. yee haw.

Nena Strix's picture

Bluegrass? Bluegrass my ass! I listened to as much of it as I could tolerate. I tried, truly tried to listen to what I thought was going to be some pickin', I was wrong. That was a long way from bluegrass my friends, a very long way.

Scratchy7929's picture

Like Noah & the Whale, Laura Marling & Mumford & Sons - already 6music mainstays hhhhhhmmmmmm

kenny jenkins's picture

there may come a time when you know what bluegrass is, but probably not any time soon

geoff's picture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28N_YC1DXRs, nuff said

hm 5x9 they're getting harder..

thinkov's picture

thanks nellson

i'll get searching for the closest to me
can't wait for the new Gillian welch record

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thinkov's picture

Go and see Chatham County line

don't bother listening to their records bluegrass only works in a live setting.

Jack Rose is a god RIP

please broker a bluegrass festival tom

in the North if poss

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